Line-type-casting machine.



L. i. WILMANS. LINE TYPE CASTING'WIACHINE. APPLlcATloN men'mngao. 1911.

Mmm @am 4,1917.

I SHEETS-SHEET I.

WN 2 No gmnoz I L. i. WILIVIANS. LINE TYPE CASTING MACHINE.

l APPLICATION EILEIJ IAN. 3o, Isn. mwm.

7SHEETS-SHEET 3.

gf A y Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

L. I. WILII/IANS.

LINE TYPE CASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1917.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

ISHEETS-SHEEI' 4.

L. I. WILMANS.

.LINE TYPE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 30, |917- Jlm. Pmmedsept. 4,191?.

L. l. WILVIANS.

lINE TYPE .CASTING MACHINE.

APPLlcArloN FILED |AN.30.|917.

Patented Spt. 4, 191'?.

ISHEETS-SHEET 6- L. l. WILVIANS.

UNE TYPE CASTING MACHINE. APPucATlou mw, JAN. ao. |911.

Patented Sept. 4f, 191?.

1SHEETS-S HEET7.

'UNITE WFATF@ LLOYD I. WILLIAMS, OF IRVING, TEXAS.

LINE-TYPE-CASTING MACHINE.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4l, 119i?.

Application filed January 30, 1917. Serial No. 145,389.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD I. WiLMANs, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Irving, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Type-Casting Machines, of which the following isa speciication. This invention relates to machines of the kind commonly called linotype machines which cast lines of type on slugs or bars formed in molds from metal supplied by a melting pot. It is important that the level of the molten metal in the melting pot be kept substantially constant in order that a uniform temperature may be maintained and a substantially uniform product produced.

It has long been 4the practice to supply a melting pot with metal by dropping slugs by hand into the pot after they have been' used and various devices have been suggested for automatically feeding or delivering slugs, ingots or4 billets of metal to the l melting pot as often as needed to maintain the level of molten metal therein. My invention relates to machines of this class and my object is to provide novel and efficient means for holding the used or worn out slugs in position to b e fed to a melting pot, iinproved devices for automatically feeding one or `more slugs to the pot as often as necessary, and novel and efficient means for sounding an alarm when the supply of slugs purposes of my invention will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improvements applied to-a Well known form of line-type casting machine,

but it will be understood that my inventionI may be embodied infwhat areA known as Ainter-type machines and also in other machines of the same Ageneral kind in which slugs or bars are cast from metal supplied by a melting pot` forming part of the maf Y for sounding an alarm when the supply of slugs in the magazine is exhausted or reduced to such an extent as to demand refilling of the magazine. V

Fig. is a rear elevation ofthe mechanism shown 1n Fig. 1 with parts broken away for the purpose of illustrating more clearly parts of the mechanism otherwise hidden.

Fig 4L is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the housing or caslng shown in Fig. 1 and the slugs magazine being in section.

Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective showlng part of the lower portion of the slugs magazine. y

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the toothed ejector for moving slugs from the magazineand causing them to drop into the melting pot.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a dog which, when mounted on a reciprocating carriage, engages the ejector shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the reciprocating carriage forming part of the ejector mechanism.

The remaining figures of the drawings are for the most parton an enlarged scale.

Fig. 9 illustrates in detail and mainly in section the devices for ejecting slugs from the .magazine It also shows part of the mecha` n ism for sounding an alarm at the proper t1me.

P InlFig. 9 the level of the molten metal is shown below that required .and the mechanism is in condition to operate.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 and shows how the mechanism is actuated to remove slugs from thermagazine and todeliver them tothe melting pot.

Figs. 11 and 12 are similar to Figs. 9 and 10, but in this case the level of the molten metal is sufliciently high and the feed mechas` nism is automatically adjusted tosuspend the feeding of slugs to the melting pot.

In Fig. 11` the ejecting-mechanism is in its withdrawn position while in Fig. 12 the mechanism hasadvanced but without removing any slugs fromthe magazine.

Figs. 13 and 14 are perspective views on an enlarged scale illustrating details of construction of the slugs magazine.

Fig. 13y shows the lower port/ion Vof the magazine in vertical position. y

Fig. 14 shows the front section of the magazine in vertical position while the rear section is shown in a horizontal position.

Fig. 15 is a detail view of one of the Sti brackets employed for connecting the front section of the slugs magazine with its supporting bar.-

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of one of the brackets for connecting the rear section of the slugs magazine with the bracket shown in Fig. 15 and which is secured to the front section of the magazine.

In Figs. 17 and 18 I have shown a modified way of ejecting or feeding slugs from the magazine to the melting pot.

In Fig. 17 the liquid level is such that the mechanism is in condition to feed slugs from the magazine when the ejector is advanced.

Figs. 18 and 19 are perspective views of parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 17.

The drawings show a portion only of a line or slug casting machine. The melting pot is indicated at A and a portion of the machine frame is illustrated at B. The driving shaft B carries a spur wheel b meshing with a similar wheel b on a shaft b2 carrying a pinion b3 meshing with the spur wheel o?, which in turn drives a spur wheel Zf. The shaft B is supported in brackets b of the main frame while the shafts of the wheels 71, b3, b4 and .7)5 are supported in a housing B2 which rests on the frame B Iof the casting machine. The housing B2 is Aprovided with devices 07, by means of which it may be detachably connected with the machine frame B, which support said housing,

and, as shown in Fig. 3. the housing is provided with an intermediate plate bs which serves to support parts of the mechanism.

The mechanism is preferably so timed that with each complete casting operation the spur wheel o will revolve twice and the gearing is preferably such that the wheel b5 will revolve once to each two revolutions of the wheel The spur wheel b5, as shown in Fig. 4, is mounted on a stud shaft attached to the intermediate plate 728 and said spur wheel b5 is directly connected with the mechH anism for operating the ejecting mechanism in the manner hereinafter described.

The magazine D is adapted to hold used or worn-out slugs placed one upon the other and arranged in a vertical stack or pile in such manner that they may be easily ejected and delivered to the melting pot. I/Vhile some of mv in'lprovements are adapted to be used in connection with ingots, billets or other pieces of met-al, I prefer to use wornout slugs for supplying the melting pot, and the magazine which I have invented is especially designed for such slugs. I will hereinafter describe my invention as adapted for use with metal of this kind but where parts of the mechanism hereinafter claimed are adapted for use in connection with other kinds of metal it will be understood that my invention contemplates such use when possible.

Themagazine, which when filled is arranged vertically, is made in two parts so connected as to stand together in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 13.01` to be supported in the manner indicated in Fig. 14;. The two sections of the magazine are also so connected that they may be moved from a vertical to a horizontal position together for the purpose hereinafter described. The front section of the magazine comprises a front plate Z attached at each end to a vertical bar cl and the rear section comprises a plate Z2 attached to the vertical bars (Z3. The plate Z2 is bent at its lower end and continued forward tfo form a bottom for the magazine. This bottom is slotted as shown in Fi 5 and these bottom slots join vertical slots in the rear plate of the magazine. The front plate Z of the front section does not extend .to the bottom of the magazine but terminates at the point indicated at (Z6. Below this point there is a gate (Z7 which is hinged to the plate cl at ZS and is normally closed by a spring (Z9. The purpose of this spring-pressed gate is to prevent breakage of the magazine walls or other parts of the mechanism should the slugs so adhere to each other as to resist the ejecting operation. This will be made more clear hereinafter. It will be observed that the lower edge of the gate terminates above the bottom of the plate cl2 leaving a front opening a through which the slugs pass while being ejected. A plate a arranged below the front -opening f1 at one end of the magazine (see Fig. 4f) retards the descent of the slugsat one end after being ejected from the magazine thus causing the slugs to descend endwise into the melting pot. An apron a2 guides the slugs while dropping into the pot and also serves as a shield for. the thermostatic mechanism hereinafter described.

The. front section of the magazine is supported on a bar lE arranged horizontally within the housing B2. A bracket e is attached to the front section of the magazine on each side and each of these brackets eX- tends rearwardly 'and is provided with an open bearing e which rests on the shaft E (Fig. 13). The rear section of the magazine carries on each side of its lower end a bracket F of the kind shown in Fig. 16, and this bracket is formed with an open bearing f which engages a boss or circular flange f on the bracket e, as clearly shown in Figs. 13 and 14. i

When the two sections of the magazine are in the position shown in Fig. 1 they serve as holders and guides for the vertical pile of slugs X. When the supply of slugs is exhausted and it is necessary to replenish the magazine the rear section thereof may by means of a handle D be moved rearwardly and turned to a horizontal position and made to rest on the top of the housing B2 in the manner indicated in Fig. 14 without moving the front section of the magazine. After the rear section has "been supplied with slugs it may be turned back to the vertical position shown. If it is desired to remove the magazine bodily from the machine this can easily be done. It will be observed that the brackets e and F have open bearings e and f and that these bearings fit over flat portlons e2 of the shaft E and the arrangement is such that both'sections of the magazine may be turned over to a horizontal position on top of the housoperating device may be readily applied to ing B2, at which time the openings in the bearings of the brackets will register` with the flat portions e2 of the shaft E, and the magazine can be readily detached from the shaft and then carried away. ffl

When the magazine is in a vertical position it is supported on blocks g on the hous! ing to which a cross bar G is attached. The shaft E also supports parts of the mecha- ,nism for sounding an alarm when the supply of slugs is reduced or exhausted.

It will be observed by reference particularly to Fig. 2 that fingers h project into the' magazine through slotted openings in the rear plate of the magazine and that these fingers form part of an alarm-operating device comprising also a semi-cylindrical casting H provided with a rearwardly projecting arm kf. The casting H embraces the lower portion of the shaft E and a cap h2 is applled to the upper portion of the shaft E and is connected with the casting H. The arrangementis such that the alarmor detached from the shaft E and it is free to rock on the shaft which latter is always stationary. The rearwardly projecting arm 11, is adapted to operate devices for sounding an alarm, which devices will be hereinafter described.

The ejector for delivering slugs from the magazine comprisesa bar M (Fig. 6) carrying a series of teeth m adapted to pass through the slots d5 in the rear plate of the magazine. The ejector is mounted on a carriage N (Fig. 8) which is provided with side rails n sliding in guides n carried by the housing B2. The carriage is reciproeated by a rod O pivotally connected at one end to'lugs n2 on the carriage and at its opposite ends pivotally connected to a wrist pin o carried by the spur wheel Z2. As thewheel b5 is continuously rotated the carriage is continuously reciprocated. The ejector shaft M is adapted to rock freely in the carriage but it' is provided withva downwardly extending arm m to which is connected a spring m2 which tends to hold the shaft in such position as to hold the teeth m in the vertical position illustrated in Fig. l and also inFigs. 9 and 10. The lower rear end of the spring m2 is attached to a bent bar or bracket P, the upper for- 4ward end of which serves as a stop for the means is provided for holding the rock shaft against a turnin movement. The carriage N carries a dogt which is pivoted to lugs n3 projecting forwardly from the carriage and said dog is provided with teeth r which engage in recesses or teeth 1" in the rock shaft. M. The dog R unless held in an elevated position by some means rests with its teeth 7 in the recesses 1", and when this is the case, as indicated in Figs. 9 and l0, during the reciprocation of the carriage N the rock shaft with its teeth will be carried forward in the manner indicated in Fig. 10 and eject the desired number of slugs, the rock shaft being prevented from a backward turning movement lby means of the dog R. The sole function of this dog is to prevent the backward turning of the rockshaft. It does not serve to give a positive turning movement to the rock shaft or to the teeth which it carries. If, however, the dog is held in the position shown in Fig. 11, and the carriage is moved forward, the front edges of the teeth fm. will strike against the rear edges of the slugs but as these slugs carryv aconside'rable weight it is not possible for the teeth to eject the lower slugs, but these teeth with the rock shaft turn in the manner indicated in Fig. 12, putting the spring m2 under tension but not dislodging the slugs from the magazine, the spring of course being so adjusted as to allow the rock shaft to turn, when not engaged by the dog, and to return the rock shaft to its normal position during the retreat of the carriagc.

In order to control the operation of the ejector I preferably employ thermostatic devices of the'kind shown, that is to say, a device operated by the temperature of the molten metal. This device is preferably so arranged that when itis not in contact or close to the molten metal, as illustrated in Fig. 1 and also in Figs. 9 and l0, the ejecting mechanism will operate to feed metal to the melt ing pot, but when the device comes in contact with or approaches very close to the surface of the metal in the melting pot, as

indicated in Figs. 11 and 12, the device will s be operated to suspend the feeding of slugs from the magazine to the pot. The details of construction of such a device may be varied, but preferably it is constructed vas follows:

A bulb Q, containing mercury or other suitableluid, is adjustably connected at Q with a tube g, also containing an expansible and contractible fiuid. The tube g is adjustably connected at its upper end with a plate g2, this connection being made secure Vby a lock nut g3. The plate g2 is attached -diaphragm g". T he arrangement is such that as the mercury or other fluid is expanded or contracted the diaphragm is raised and lowered and correspondingly raises and lowers the block or plug S.

A lever T is pivotally connected with a bracket t and carries an arm, preferably a spring arm t', which bears against a lug r2 projecting downwardly from the dog R. It is obvious that by the devices shown the dog It may be raised and lowered to the proper extent and at the proper times. Further description of this part of the mechanism seems unnecessary further than to say that in Figs. 9 and 10 the position of the mechanism is shown when it is adjusted automatically `to feed slugs to the melting pot. At this time the liquid level is low, as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10, and additional supplies of metal are required. In Figs. 11 and 12 the mercury bulb is shown as being in contact with the metal, and at this time no additional supply of metal is required. The slug ejecting mechanism is thrown out of operation in the manner clearly indicated in Figs. 11 and 12.

In order to sound an alarm when the supply of slugs in the magazine is exhausted, or so much reduced as to be nearly exhausted, I provide the devices before referred to and shown best in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the fingers h normally extend Linder the pile of slugs in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 and the weight of the slugs holds the fingers down. When, however, this weight is greatly reduced, by reason of the supply of slugs running out, the fingers will rise in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. This is due to the fact that the rear portion k', h2 of the device is heavier than the front portion and therefore when the fingers rise the 'arm L will be lowered into the path of a cam u on the top yof a vertical shaft U, cai rying at its lower end a spring arm u provided with a hammer u2 adapted to sound a bell a3.. The shaft U extends through a lug or bracket n4 on the carriage and moves back and forth therewith. A spring permits the shaft U to turn about its vertical axis but returns such shaft to its normal position when the cam u is released. In other words the operation is as follows: 'When the fingers' h are elevated and the carriage retreats, the arm h strikes the cam u and turns the shaft U about its vertical axis. As the carriage further moves the cam is released from the arm k and the shaft U is quickly turned back to its original position by the spring u", in this way sounding the alarm. The alarm will be sounded during eachy reciprocation of the carriage until the machine is stopped or until the fingers h are lowered either by the introduction of slugs in the magazine or by some other means.

It will be understood that the magazine can be easily replenished in the manner before described and it will also be understood that the thermostatie devices may be accurately adjusted to operate in the proper way to feed slugs to the magazine only when required. Whether or not the ejector shall effect the feeding of the slugs depends upon the temperature to which the bulb Q is subjected. This temperature will vary according to whether the bulb is immersed in the Inolten metal or whether it is placed close to or far from the surface of the metal. The thermostatic devices which I employ are provided with the means of adjustment herein- -before referred to which enables me to determine very accurately how the device should be adjusted to feed to melting pots under different conditions or circumstances.

In Figs. 17 and 18 I have shown a somewhat modified or simplified construction. I prefer to use the thermostat-ic devices heretofore described, and these devices are similarly lettered in Fig. 17. The devices for sounding an alarm are also in general similar to those before described and are similarly lettered. In this case, however, the carriage `which supports the ejector is of somewhat different construction. The carriage W is formed integrally with a series of teeth 'w which are adapted to reciprocate in the slots in the lower portion of the slugs magazine. The carriage itself is adapted to slide in the guideways fw in the side frames of the housing B2 and said carriage is reciprocated by means of a rod V eccentrically pivoted to the spur wheel b5 heretofore mentioned. The front end of this rod is not pivotally connected with the carriage as beforebut is provided with a downwardly extending lug v which projects through a slot wz in the carriage and is adapted to move back and forth therein. At the front of the rod V is a head V having a portion /v which is adapted to engage with lugs f0.2, integral with or firmly secured to the carriage W and arranged on opposite sides of the slot cu2. When the rod V is in its lowermost position, as indicated in Fig. 17, the portion o of the head Vy will engage the lugs lv2 and the carriage will be reciprocated and will effect the ejection of slugs from the magazine, but if the front portion or head of the rod V is raised so that the front portion of the head occupies a plane above the top of the lugs o2 then the rod will recipromeagre cate without reciprocating the carriage and hence the ejecting teeth will not operate upon the slugs. The manner in which the rOdV is raised and lowered is clearly indie cated. 'When the level of the molten metal is lowtherod V is in its lowermost position and the carriage with the ejecting teeth will be`properly operated, but as `soon as the level in the melting pot'rises the arm T, with its spring finger t', will be raised in such mani neras toraise the head V' above the lugs 02, and hencethe carriage will remain stationary until the fluid level in the melting pot falls.

The magazine illustrated in ig. 17 maybe of the same construction -as that hereinbefore described and unless otherwise indicatedthe mechanism used in connection'with the devices illustratedin Figs. 17, 18 and '19 is the same in all respects as that shown in the preceding figures of the drawings and hereinbefore described. While I prefer to employ the form of thermostat illustrated for operating the. lever t, which controls the operation of the ejector, it is obvious that .other devices might be employed for operatingsaid lever.

I claim as my invention: y

1. The combination lwith the melting pot of a line-type casting machine, of means for supplying metal thereto when required comprising a magazine, devices for eject' metal from the magazine, and thermostatically controlled mechanism 'for actuating' said ejecting devices.

2. The combination with the melting potv of a line-type casting machine, of a maga- 'zine for holding metal slugs, an ejector for .discharging slugs from the bottom of said magazine, means for actuating said ejector, and thermostatically operated devices for controlling the operation of the ejector ac tuating mechanism.

3. The combination with the melting pot ofa line-type casting machine, of a magazinefor holding slugs of metal, a toothed ejector for discharging slugs from the magaezine, and thermostatically controlled devices for suspending the operation of the ejector. 4. The combination with the melting pot of a line-type casting machine, of a maga- 'zine for holding slugs of'metal to be supplied to the melting pot, a reciprocating carriage, a 1- toothed ejector shaft pivotally mountedin the carriage, .means for holding they ejector shaftv in-normal position, a dog for preventing the ejector shaft from turning, and thermostatically operated devices for controlling the position of the dog.

5. The combination with the melting potg of a line-type casting machine, of a magazine for holding slugs of metal to be supplied to the melting pot, a reciprocating carriage, a toothed ejector shaft pivotally mounted in the carriage, means for holding the shaft in normal position, a dog for preventing the-ejector shaft from turning, a pivoted lever engaging the dog for raising and lowering it, and means for automatically operating said lever correspondingly with the rise and fall of the molten metal in the melting pot.

6. The combination with a slugs magazine of an alarm device, and means operated by a decrease of weight of metal in the slugs magazine for actuating said alarm device.

7. The combination with a magazine for holding metal to be supplied to a melt-ing pot, of al linger extending into the lower portion of the magazine and pon which the metal rests, a reciprocating carriage provided with means for ejecting metal from Yvice brought into operative relation with said arm when the weight of metal in the magazine is reduced to a predetermined -extent.

9. A magazine for holding metal to be supplied to a melting pot made in separable sections one of which vsections is adapted to be moved from a vertical to a horizontal position without moving the other section while both sections are adapted to be moved together, and a shaft to which the sections are connected, about which they may be swung together, and from which theyemay be bodily removed. l

10. A magazine for holding metal to be supplied to a melting pot made in two sections one of said sections being provided with rearwardly extending brackets and the other with brackets pivotally connected with the brackets of the front section in combination with a shaft on which the brackets are supported, the arrangement being such that the rear section of the magazine may bel moved from a vertical to a horizontal position without moving the front section or both sections may be moved together.

11A magazine for holding metal to be fed to a melting pot comprising a front section having rearwardly extending brackets and formed with open bearings, a hor1- zontally arranged shaft extending through said open bearings and provided with reduced or flattened portions, and a4 rear magazine section provided with brackets pivotally connected with the brackets of the front section and which have open lll@ bearings through Which said horizontally arranged shaft extends the arrangement being such that when the magazine sections are in a vertical position they are inseparably connected with the shaft but when both magazine sections are moved to a horizontal position they can be separated from the shaft and be Withdrawn bodily'from the machine.

12. lIhe combination With the melting pot of a line-type casting machine, of means for supplying metal thereto When required comprising a magazine, devices for ejecting metal from the magazine, devices for controlling the operation of the ejecting mechanism including a pivoted lever, and a thermostat provided With means for adjusting it to cause it to be brought into operation at the required temperature or the required levelof the metal in the melting pot.

18. The combination With the melting pot of a line-type casting machine, of means for supplying metal thereto When required comprising a magazine, across bar beneath the magazine, a thermostat supported by said cross bar, a lever operated by said thermostat, and vdevices'ior ejecting metal from the magazine the operation of Which is controlled by the thermostatically operated lever.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LLOYD I. WILMANS. 

